Writing Strategy Guides - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 134

Most publishers will want you to turn in a digital version of the maps, so if you
create them yourself on paper, be prepared to hunt down a scanner if you don't have
one.
Where you place the maps in your guide is a subjective choice. You may want
the map for each level to be included with the walkthrough, or you may prefer to
have an appendix just for maps at the back.

Creating Maps from Scratch
If the game has no map screens or map in the HUD, you'll have to create them
yourself. Your first step might be to contact the game level designers and see if they
will take screenshots of their level layout for you. They may have to turn off excess
geometry before doing so to make the image easier to follow. You can then take these
screenshots into an image-processing program and clean them up.
If the level designers can't do this, you may need to sit down with the game and
draw out the levels by hand. Using graph paper with blue non-reproducible lines,
map out all the levels manually. Note where items, enemies, entrances, exits, and
important locations and NPCs lie. Since you'll need a digital copy, scan your hand-
drawn maps into an image-processing program. Clean them up and add colors.

Adapting the In-Game Map
If the game has a map in the HUD or, even better, a separate map screen, you are
in luck. Take screenshots of the maps on each level and import them into an image-
processing program. Clean up the images, especially if it is a HUD map. HUD maps
usually lie in a transparent layer over the game action, and you'll want to remove those
background images.

For All Maps
Whether you've created the map from scratch or have adapted an in-game map, you
will need to add elements to it.

• Title. Title the map so the reader can see at a glance to what section of what

level it pertains.

• Legend. Create a legend for each map with icons for items, weapons, enemies,

quest-giving NPCs, treasure locations, and any other information the player
will need. If there is more than one typical common item the player might
find, then create a separate icon for each item.

• Labels. Label entrances, exits, routes to take through mazes, and any other

important locations.

• Multiple maps for each level. You may find that you need to create multiple

maps if a level has more than one floor or has a vast series of rooms.